Blood Shift
by Krystal Kerro Sky
Summary: The future is bleak for humanity as Dr. X has taken over the skies. The hero that would lead the resistance is gone, having deserted those he swore to protect. But nothing is truly as it seems.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Blood pooled on the floor, collecting around his severed leg. It dripped from every cut he received in the past several hours, all from his fight. Across the battlefield, standing spotless in the limelight was his enemy.

"Motion and movement is impossible. Why don't you just give up?"

"Screw... you... I'm not... giving up... not... even... to the likes... of you!" he panted, laying flat on his back, clenching his fists to keep the pain he felt dull. Sheared off from the knee down, pain was becoming far too much, along with all the other wounds he had incurred during the fight. He would soon die from blood loss, and what had he accomplished?

"Mr. Mann, stop being so stubborn. You are dead to everyone, and soon, even to yourself. Your only chance for survival is to accept my offer, join the Council, and let me take over. How much simpler can I put it?" boot heels clicked until opening his eyes met with X's. "You have less than a minute, and by then there would be no point in even trying to heal you."

Alex tried pulling his body onto his elbows to meet X face to face, but he was hardly even able to get up. He passed out before he could even give the scientist a reply.

"Damnit. Must you be so difficult?"


	2. Mysterious

Mysterious

* * *

If the walls could speak, they would tell the story of an enemy helping the other. Three days tediously spent closing wounds and repairing the severed limb. The calf and foot were even cloned to repair the damage. Bag after bag of blood was used to regenerate the lost fluid.

The final day, the day when the patient would finally awaken, Dr. X studied his work carefully, making sure that there would be no complications on his part to Alex's recovery. It seemed rather odd that he would be looking after his arch-nemesis, but then, there was always time for change.

As he opened his eyes, he turned his head slightly to look at X. Hatred still welled just at the surface, blue eyes seething with malice.

"Welcome, Alex Mann, to the Council of D.O.O.M."

* * *

He walked down the corridor, picking at the sleeve of his black and gold uniform. He was very uncomfortable, even after he had recovered a month ago. He had given up and had given in, and turned his back on the world he had fought so hard to protect. Now... 

Now he was the last member to join. Dr. X, Asazi, Tempest, Gangrene, Quake, Dorian, Mary-Juana, and now him. 8 members made the Council of DOOM, the Designated Overlords Of Mankind.

He adjusted the black gloves and arm guards, sighing. He was the mysterious Blur, whom X had hired. Only X knew who he really was, which was just as well. The black mask that covered most of his face hid the tell-tale scar on his cheek and the still healing wounds on his face.

The utility belt held an assortment of things that he was required to have, from laser pen cutters, suction gloves, and glass cutters. Also hanging from it was three weapons: a whip, a hybrid pistol, and an energy blade. He favored the whip more than the other two, because it was a longer weapon, yet could also be used in short range combat. It also attached to the energy blade and made a killer combination. Luckily he had not had the chance to use it yet.

Asazi stepped into his path, blocking the way. She eyed him with a frown, "Where are you going to in such a hurry, Blur?"

Blur smirked, glad she could see his mouth and the emotion. "No where. Why do you ask, Asazi?"

"Because you have been very mysterious... who are you really? What did you do that Dr. X chose you for the Council?" She narrowed her gaze at him, shifting her weight in interest.

"I thought you knew; I killed Alex Mann. And who I really am doesn't matter right now." He would have moved around her, but she moved in his way again.

"Don't play that game with me. It is impossible to kill Alex Mann... how did you do it?" Asazi took a few steps closer, a sneer appearing at the corner of her mouth and her green eyes glowed with dislike.

"With patience." He finally pushed her out of the way, heading once again down the corridor. He never looked back to see whatever look was on the woman's face, and didn't really care. He was dead, he killed himself.

* * *

The blonde man working tediously over the control system looked up when the doors slid open. "Blur! What do you want?" he wiped condensation from his glasses. When he stood up from the consol, his blue and yellow shirt was pocked with burn marks from what he was working on. 

"I figured I would stop in and say 'hi' since I was just passing through. But seems as though that you have your hands full." He said, letting the door slide closed behind him.

Tempest's Lab was spacious, yet cluttered with many odds and ends. File cabinets held intricate plans to weapons and flying things, tables piled with gadgets and gizmos galore, large machines set all over the place in convenient locations. The floor was neat, only a few stray screws, nuts, and bolts here and there, even a dropped screwdriver.

The teen shrugged, picking something off the counter where he had been working. "Come on in, I was just finishing up the latest addition to your tools... the Laser Ring. Just tap the button on top here, and then throw it. It starts spinning, and sending out three-inch lasers at nine points. A spinning blade of light, if you will. And all it is, is this..." He held up a silver disk about the size of a compact disk. There was another ring around it held in place by nine spokes. The younger man tossed him the disk, grinning.

Alex looked it over, spinning the lightweight ring. "Be perfect in dark spots, toss it, and let it catch the eyes of the enemy."

"Precisely. Some times I get the impression that you really aren't who I think you are, but someone much more familiar. But that doesn't matter." There was silence as the engineer looked at his watch. He didn't seem too concerned. "Anyway, Dr. X wanted us all on the bridge in a few minutes… come on." Tempest grabbed the lightning rods, which had been compressed into two thin batons, and shoved them into the holsters at his side, motioning for Blur to head out .

Blur chuckled, preceding the young scientist out.

Tempest grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks. "Blur, there is something that I think you should know, and that only you should know. Simon Grey is still alive. I spoke to him a long time ago, and he told me he was going into hiding. But he told me that Alex Mann would die, yet still be alive. I find it hard to believe that you killed him. It has been my experience to expect the unexpected. I want you to tell me the truth. I swear on my honor as a human being not to tell anyone."

Alex leaned away from Tempest as though testing his oath. "All right, I'll tell you." He slipped his thumb behind the ear of the helmet and pivoted the mask up over his eyes. He smiled at Tempest before bring the mask back down.

"Holy shit- A-Blur, you're.. never mind. Here." He pulled a keycard from his pocket, and handed it to him. "A door unlocks for 10 minutes every hour on the fourth deck. In there's the cryo-room. She's in there. I caught her sneaking around a year or so back. She's in stasis.. go see her."

Once Alex had pocketed the keycard, they continued on their way to the Bridge.


	3. Mission Hellfire

Mission Hellfire

* * *

Dr. X turned to look at Blur and Tempest as they stepped onto the bridge from the lift. "Ah, just who I wanted to see. I have a mission for you, Blur, into InterCEPT's new Head Quarters." He looked to the assembled Council, his Council, with pride. They were the best, had been able to take out all of Team Extreme, except for one. That one was standing in this room.

"Mary, Asazi, you two are back-up, in case something happens to Blur. I will be dropping all three of you off on the roof. Your goal is to get to the lower basement 7 of the building. Director Zervas recently got hold of a data core that is required for a Master Trilobug. If she and her scientists figure out a way to access the information stored on that core, and produce their own machines, then... we will not stand a chance. You must get the core back at all costs."

* * *

The airship moved over its intended target, and lowered two ropes. Two people rappelled down them, and another jumped, landing silently on the roof. Before the other two could reach the bottom, he already had the roof hatch open, propping it up so he could take out the security systems. He slipped in, and was soon followed by his team. 

The three moved down the corridor to the stairwell, knowing that the elevators would not work from the power plant nearby being cut. They moved down to the ground level, and from there, spread out.

Blur motioned for them to keep quiet, and move as quickly as possible. He moved into the main lobby, and purposely let himself get seen by a camera. The alarm went off, and very soon he was surrounded by agents.

"Put your hands up, right now!"

He followed their orders, the laser-disk and whip in each hand.

"Put down your weapons!" the agent called, leveling his rifle.

Like his new name, the whip snapped up and out, followed by the laser-disk. The razor tip cut across faces and throats, while the disk flew around and took out those that the whip missed.

Blood splattered the walls and pooled on the floor. It covered the gold visor of the black helmet.

"...I'm sorry... I had to do it." Blur whispered.

He took off; reaching another stairwell that was guarded by Asazi and Mary. Neither of them questioned the blood.

This was where they would go in and grab the data core.

They made their way down the stairs again, and met no resistance. Blur was becoming quite disturbed at how easy this was. As they neared the last level, something set Blur off, and he motioned for Asazi and Mary to wait one level above while he proceeded alone.

As he slid up to a corner and peeked around it, using the reflection of the visor to keep from getting his face blown off. There were 15 guards, and 5 spider bots. He took a deep breath, and threw himself into the hall way. The pistol and energy blade flashed, sparked and glowed. As he charged to the back of the hallway, the way cleared, until he came to an open door. A spot of blood seeped out of his uniform, running down his arm from where a bullet at hit him.

Unprotected in the room sat Diana, looking her age. He put his weapons back in their holsters and entered with his arms raised in surrender.

"Blur, of the Council of DOOM. I've heard that you killed Alex Mann." The gray haired director raised a pistol with a steady hand. "Why? He was our last hope."

He kept walking towards the desk of the Director. One foot in front of the other, eyes trained on the trigger, and the face of the woman. "That is the exact reason why I let him die. He would never have succeeded in being your 'last hope' as you put it. I had been ordered to kill him anyway."

"Let him die? You let him die? I heard that you killed him." Her words held force, questioning, and the hint of disbelief.

"Yes, let him die at the hands of Dr. X. You should know that your hero gave up, too. He gave into Dr. X. Now, you have something that I want. The data core, if you will."

Diana glared at the black mask, setting the pistol down and taking the data-core from a drawer in her desk. "He never would have given up... "

"I know. He fought hard though." he took the data-core from the Director, slipping it into a pocket on his belt. "He wants you to know that he is sorry for letting you and the rest of humanity down." He vanished then, moving nearly invisibly back to the stairs and up to the escape route.

* * *

Diana sat back in her chair, tears flowing down her face. "Damn you, Blur. Give him back..." her face was buried in her hands, sobs racking her thin frame. "Damn you, Alex... why, why did you have to be stupid enough to think you could take X on all on your own? You could still be here..." She looked up, something that Blur said catching on her thoughts. "Wants? Is he still alive?" 

'_That voice... it WAS Alex who spoke to me. It still held the same caring and passion... but on a flatter level... almost as though he was trying to be dead, yet alive at the same time_.' She jumped up, grabbed her weapons belt, and ran from her office.

Her combat boots splashed in the blood spilt, spraying onto her legs. His foots steps were still there...

* * *

Back up the lower level stairs, through the bloodied lobby, and back up the stairs. Asazi led the way, Mary coming up close behind her, and Blur brought up the rear. He had passed Asazi the data-core, since he knew that she could take care of it. 

He stopped two floors below the roof. There he waited for Diana, an emergency light illuminating the space on the stairs that would be between them. When she was on the level below him, gun drawn, he spoke.

"Turn back now, and maybe you can get out of here alive. Go find Simon Grey, if you can. This place is rigged to blow. Save yourself, Diana." He rested a hand on the pistol at his side.

"Don't do this, Alex. Please... you can still save the world."

"What world is there left to save? Its over Diana... all you can do is run, and keep running... or give up." He pivoted on his heel, and raced back up the stairwell to the roof.

* * *

After debriefing Dr. X, Alex returned to his quarters. Removing his helmet let him scrap off the dried on blood. Striping down let him set out his uniform to be cleaned by the bugs that had started swarming his room. He put on loose black clothing, and wrapped a mask around to hide his face if anyone came in unexpectedly. 

He sat back on the couch, bringing his feet up, and letting his mind run through the faces of people he once knew... people that he killed in the past hours.

That lobby had to have been full of forty or fifty people he knew by name and face. People that he could have carried on a conversation with about their lives and families. And then he took it all away.

Now their bodies were buried under rubble of the building. Befitting burial... but not a befitting death.

It was as though he denied them right to be humans... denied them right to live their own lives freely.

He pulled a fold of the mask over his eyes, tilting his head back and closing them. He felt no remorse for his actions, and part of him even wanted to kill. Why? There was no justifiable reason to do so. Dr. X had told him about taking lives needlessly. '_Maybe the scientist thought I would not take any lives. But once he sees the video from my helmet, then he might rethink his decision on hiring me._'

A trilobug crawled up on the back of the couch, and looked Blur over. It chittered, announcing that his stuff was clean. It didn't even wait for a reply before leaving with the rest of the small swarm.

'_To bad I can't go back in time and fix what mistakes I made. I could make sure that I never went to fight X on my own_.' lifting the fold to look at his leg that he had lost below the knee. He wiggled his toes, smirking. ' _Maybe joining wasn't such a bad idea. Simon, Fidget and Diana are all right... But Grinder and Rikki are gone. My fault once again. I don't know where Brandon is, but I don't think it matters. When I see him, if I ever do, will tell me how he is doing_.'


	4. Good Friends Don't Shoot

Good Friends don't Shoot

* * *

Dropping down into the Team Extreme Warehouse was no problem, since he still had his key. Coming in from the roof was the tricky part. But once inside showed just how much gear his Team still owned. 

He looked around, trying to find any of his motorcycles. Finding the Red Racer, he tapped the control panel, and then inserted the key, turning the bike on. Full on fuel and power. He pulled out a sticker, and stuck it over his old logo. The bike quickly changed in color to black and gold, thanks to NTB's.

Speeding out of the warehouse and locking it again with a special lock that only he could open, he made his way into the city that was said to be the last place of human resistance.

Driving through the empty streets reminded him of Tokyo, way back when he went up against Quake with Fidget's help. Now those days seemed like a dream, something that never happened, but he knew that they did. The same motorcycle, the same blackened street signs, and the same voice inside his head that something wasn't right, that he was going in the wrong direction.

He looked up just as a black humanoid form leaped from the roof above. He couldn't swerve out of the way, so was knocked from the bike, and they both crashed into the pavement. The bike skidded, coming to rest at the base of a stoplight that was long burnt out.

"You killed him!! I ought to kill you for still being alive right now." Brandon shouted, leveling a sawed off shotgun at him. "You just had to kill my best friend, and the leader that was going to show us to victory. We were so close! And then you took our dream away! This could have been a new world, a better world, if you had just stayed down the hole that you came from."

He got to his feet, brushing the dust from his legs, before facing Brandon, arms up. "All right, then kill me. I've taken enough lives already, but if you kill me now, Alex will never come back. He will remain dead."

Brandon kept the gun up, pulling a knife from a sheath at his wrist. "What do you mean, 'Remain dead'?"

Blur moved in then, going underneath the gun and grabbing the knife, knocking the gun out of his friends' grip. He leapt away before Brandon could even realize what happened. "I mean exactly what I said. Put it together, Brandon. You're smart."

Brandon glared at him. "Goddamn you!" he pulled out another knife, and charged at Blur. He brought the blade down and missed his target.

Blur moved just in time, dancing out of harms way. He kept the stolen knife with the butt of the handle facing Brandon, and the blade down. He sidestepped the next attack, not even trying. "Come out of your rage, Brandon. Open your eyes-"

"Shut up and DIE!" he was twice as large as his target, and oddly moved faster than Blur. He landed a solid punch to Blur's midsection, and then brought the palm of his hand into the helmet, throwing the piece off.

Alex lay on the ground, panting lightly. He did not raise his face to look at his old friend. On his back, the gray clouds above started raining. Soon Brandon was looking down on him, the shotgun at his chin, making him open his eyes.

"Oh, god..." He started backing up, shaking his head. "Not possible..!"

Alex sat up, reaching for his helmet. "I'm sorry Brandon." once he stood, a heavy punch landed on his face, sending him flying back. He skidded in the rain, coming to rest at the base of a telephone pole. Blood ran from his mouth, and he spit out a tooth. The ivory molar was soon lost in the down pour.

"I don't believe you. You're a clone, you have to be. Alex is dead!"

Standing again, face to the nozzle of a shotgun. "You're wrong Brandon... I'm Alex. I'm not a clone--"

"If you're Alex, then what are you doing wearing a Council uniform? What are you doing working for them?"

"I gave up. It is not possible for us to win. I had no choice as it was. I tried to defy him to my last breath, but he kept me alive."

The gun was loaded, and the trigger was set. "You went against everything you told us... you gave up your freedom to kill the rest of us. No one is going to win."

Lightning and thunder blasted through the city as the shot gun went off.


	5. Defiance Gets NoWhere

Defiance Gets No-Where

* * *

Dr. X helped Alex to his feet back in the med lab. The shotgun wound barely missed any vital organs, but was enough to cause a blackout and near death. Now Alex was fully recovered... save for the new pock-mark scars that were forming on his torso.

Both were silent as Alex donned his newly repaired suit. Once the helmet covered who he was, X spoke.

"That did not go as planned. Brandon now leads the Resistance, and you are in no way fit to continue service for a relative amount of time. You are relieved of duty until I deem you one hundred percent ready to return to service again."

"You always treat members like prized animals? I'm going back down there, whether you want me to or not." Blur replied as he left, headed for the hanger bay. Once he reached it, the door would not open for him.

"You are to return to your quarters, now." X's voice whispered inside his helmet. There was no emotion from the old scientist.

Blur huffed, and spun on his heel, going to his quarters as instructed. He would not be kept here long, he knew that for sure...

Dorian was waiting for him, the cyborg member scanning him over before speaking. "Blur, there is always a logical reason for what Dr. X does--"

"Leave right now, Dorian. I don't want to talk to you, ever."

"Understood." The cyborg left then, the door closing behind him with a hiss.

Finally alone, he dropped onto the couch, setting the helmet on the coffee table. He had to talk to Brandon again, he just had too. He had to prove that he was still alive, and that he was not some clone...

What if he was a clone? What if the real Alex had died, and X cloned him, and just downloaded his memories into this new body? The line on his left leg, just below the knee, showed that a cloned limb was attached. Could that be some sign that this was still his original body? What if the AMP Factor had stopped working... he hadn't used it for so long... there just wasn't any need to use it.

He tilted his head back, staring up at the ceiling. Part of him would give anything to have Grinder back... just to talk to about all his problems... and about the actions he took recently, about his decisions...


	6. Old Friends, New Problems

Old Friends, New Problems

* * *

Waking up from what he deemed a suitable nap, Grinder was sitting in the red grass next to him, holding a bloody knife.

"A-Man, sit down. I hear you need to talk." The Jamaican looked up at his helmeted friend. "And take off the helmet, mate, no need to hide here."

Once he was seated, Grinder held the knife out to him. "Take it. And try and wipe it on the grass... tell me what happens."

He took the knife in hand, and did as instructed. The blood didn't come off, no matter how much he wiped it on the red grass.

"Its not going to come clean, mate. Try as hard as you want, that blade is stained because of you."

The handle and blade melted down, forming into a human heart. The heart beat, and every beat sent off a black aura, which melted into his hand, causing a burning sensation in his own chest. He took his helmet off, and the heart changed into a mirror, and the reflection was him, but faceless. The only thing there was the scar.

He threw the heart away from him, sending it flying into the red grass. It bounced a few times, and then sank below the red.

"Why'd you do that, mate, decided to be a heartless killer? A dead man walking and killing, all to try and feel alive once more? You just threw away what made you human. For what? Because you're afraid of what you became?" Grinders white eyes bore into him, before the ghost rose to his feet, and started down the hill to get the still beating heart. "Yes, you have a heart, but to you... it's dead. It died the moment you were shot by your best friend... You blame him for its death. And yet... you blame yourself for your own death. I have never seen you act like this."

"And I hope you never see me act like this again. What I do now with my life is my own business. You're gone Grinder, and I'm sorry that you are. I'm moving on with my life. So what if I have to kill those that I used to love. Brandon proved himself to be the enemy, even after I showed him I was alive."

"But you are not alive... you weren't alive to yourself, so what makes you think he will believe that you are alive if even you wont believe it? He trusted your judgment, and believed what you believed. Then.. you go back on your word, and join the enemy. I don't even want to remember knowing you any more, A-man. Rikki should be by soon." With all that said, the Jamaican left, vanishing into the mist at the bottom of the hill.

The heart beat slowly, turning black from the aura.

"Well, I'm guessing Grinder talked to ya, huh? You always did think too much after talks with him. Anyway, look up at me Alex."

Once he looked up, staring into Rikki's white eyes, he turned away, closing his eyes tightly. To see his old friend smile even in death hurt more than anything.

"I know what you are thinking. You wonder how I can still smile stupidly after knowing everything that you have done. Well... look around you, see who's company you now keep."

Agents, many holding their own heads, or trying to hold wounds closed, or resting next to their own legs. All were bloody, crimson soaked through their uniforms. They didn't have the white-eyed gaze of Rikki, but black eyes.

"I want to tell you something about the afterworld, Alex. I want to tell you how I'm white-eyed and still in perfect condition, whereas your victims are still mangled and in pain. Dr. X killed Grinder and myself, and he has no regret or remorse at killing us. He doesn't care. You have regret, you care about them, and therefore, they can and will haunt you. They cannot speak to you, because you will not listen."

" . . . . But what if I want to listen?"

"Then that is your choice." the older ghost sat next to him, looking up at the still green leafed tree above them on the hill. "There is still part of you that is trying to fight what you've become. What your parents taught you about being a good citizen, and then your own desires at being a hero. You are still a hero, and that tree is still there because you know that there are people out there who still believe that you are their hero."

"I'm no ones hero."

"Good thing is though... even if you say it, you don't believe it. But the blood is finding its way into the tree. Save the world Alex, you have more power than ever to do so. I know you fought to the last breath; you fought until you figured that the last thing left was death. He gave you back life, and instilled in your mind that you owed him for saving your life. You don't owe him. Now, go and kick his ass for the people whose lives he made you take out of guilt!"

* * *

The last word in the dream jolted him back to the real world with such fright; he leapt off the couch and landed on the floor. He looks at his hands out in front of him, and felt the embers ignite into flames. Now was the time, now he had to turn the tables.

' _There are things that I still have to do before I move against them, like... Fidget._' He grabbed his helmet, and left his quarters at a slow pace, trying to act how he felt before. How many people could he fool?


	7. Hope From the Short One

Hope From the Short One

* * *

The cryo-room was cold, but his suit negated the temperature for him. He walked all the way to the back of the twenty stasis pods, to the only active one. He brushed the ice from the top, and looked down on her face. 

She looked no different that when he last saw her.

Going to the control panel, he inserted the keycard and started the wake up sequence. Now he could talk to her, see if a year of dreaming had changed her.

As the cover slid back, exposing her upper body to the air, he wrapped a heated blanket around her shoulders. The black blanket covered her entirely. She looked up at him, her red hair having grown out considerably. Her light blue eyes were bewildered and quizzical for a moment, until he removed his helmet.

"Alex? What is going on? I dreamt that you'd killed people, and joined the council. I saw... everyone die, even you. But, you're alive."

He sat down next to her, taking her cold hands in his gloved ones. "What you dreamt is true. I have killed people, and I'm part of the council. Grinder and Rikki are dead... and I did die, but I'm back to life."

"How?"

He looks away for just a moment, then looked back into her eyes, smirking. "Ghosts. They talked to me in a dream. I learned more about what had happened to me, and therefore, I can change who I became."

Fidget blinked. "Ok... Well, since I don't know who you became, then I guess that really doesn't affect me, now does it? Either way... what am I doing here, nude, and wrapped in a blanket?"

"Tempest saved your life a year ago, and put you in stasis to keep you safe. You owe him a thanks for keeping you alive. I just woke you up. I had to talk to you."

Fidget shook her head. "I'm now really confused. I've been out for a year, and in that time, my whole family has kicked the bucket, leaving me alone on the enemies ship, and under their protection. Yeah, a girl really feels safe, ya know. Now, you're going to tell me exactly what's happened, and what you plan on doing about it."

Alex sighed, and told her all the events since she disappeared.

His frantic search to find her that lead to Grinder getting shot by Dr. X, then Rikki getting hit to protect Alex from attack. The rally that empowered the resistance, and then the feeling of getting revenge for the death of his three friends. There had been many months between getting the feeling to get revenge, and actually going to do it. All that lead up to what could go down as an epic battle of good verse evil... and the one time where good failed.

"But what I have planed will hopefully help me bring down Dr. X. First off, I need to talk to Brandon again, see if he will at least believe that I didn't kill myself, or that I'm not a clone."

"What if he doesn't believe you? I mean, sometimes he does have a one-track mind." She pulled the blanket tighter, hunching her shoulders to keep off the cold in the room.

"Then... I'll deal with that when it happens. I need to talk to Simon Grey. I heard he was still alive. Maybe he could help me in some way."

"I don't think Grey will help... he will have heard from Brandon that you are the enemy in disguise. You can try."

"I will. He can only ignore me for so long. And there are things that no clone would know that only I know. I have to try, no buts about it."

"But?"

"I said no buts."

Fidget punched him lightly, but not like she could hit any harder. "Shut up. After talking to Grey, what then?"

Alex met her eyes in a conspiring way. "I have to figure out the Councils weakness. I need to figure them out, then exploit them. I can't put Colin, Mary's son, in danger, since he has nothing to do with this."

"How old is Colin?"

"Man, have to be going on... I'd say 15."

Fidget smiled. "Way to young for me. What does he look like?"

Alex pulled his helmet off, looking at the visor on the inside to look through the images, and finaly showed the woman.

"Look's kinda like you… same nose and jawline, like that picture your mom showed us of you and first car."

Alex looked back at the image, frowning. "Really? I… never noticed." He studied it a bit more. "Yeah, kinda, I guess. He is Mary's son, though."

"Did you know Mary before?" she held the blanket tighter, watching him with pale eyes.

"Yeah, we went to high school together, graduated same class."

"didn't you graduate like… 15 years ago?"

"Yeah…. Oh crap."

Fidget sighed. "I'm not saying he is, but you might want to look into that."

Alex smiled nervously, not believing what Fidget was saying was true. He had nothing to reply to then.

He looked up into her smile. Her voice was a little comfort. "It's all right. The past is past, tomorrow is the future, and today is the present. I don't think you should worry about it. Colin turned into a good kid, I'm sure."

"Yeah, he did. Dorian, another member, is teaching him about machines and how to maintain the airship. He is a really good kid. Looks like his mom though... least to a degree."

Fidget sighed, shaking her head. "You should try and get him off this thing... take him on a mission or something. Then loose him somewhere with direction as to where to go for safety. He is your son, after all. You should do what you can to help him and keep him safe. His mom did a piss poor job at that."

"His mom is a drug addict, so of course she did a bad job." He looked to the timer on his wrist, and sighed. "No one is going to be looking for me for a while. It's too late for them to really care as is."

"Do I have to stay here?"

"It's safer than the world out there, and no one even knows you are here. This is the safest place for anyone to be."

"So, then you believe that Dr. X will win?"

"Dr. X wont win. I'm going to make sure of that. But you can't be running around the ship. Gangrene or Quake would report you, then Dr. X would find out, and then there would be a whole world of trouble."


	8. Joining Forces and Making plans

Joining Forces and Making Plans

* * *

Fidget complained about going back into cryo-sleep, but he talked her into it being the best thing. Now he was wandering the Corridors again, looking at the scanner that showed him where the rest of the Council members are. He glanced up as he turned a corner that he knew Asazi was waiting around.

"Once again, I catch you just walking around. Is there something that I can help you with?" She crossed her arms, frowning. The crossbow at her side was loaded and set, which led him to believe that she was expecting a fight.

"No, Asazi, there is nothing you can help me with, unless..." He over exaggerated tilting his head to the side, hoping she would either get the hint, or ask a question.

"Unless what, Blur? If you think I'm going to give you anything, then you can just jump out of an airlock."

"What? No, I wasn't thinking that at all. I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind going on the next mission with me."

"X is planning another mission for you? Didn't he say that you weren't to go on any missions until he deemed that you were fit enough to go? If I remember correctly, he didn't grant you any permission. And don't even open your mouth to lie. You are starting to remind me of someone I once knew... the same person you killed."

"You still have feelings for him, don't you? How can you still care about someone who is dead?"

"I just do. And my feelings are none of your business."

"Then if they're none of my business, come by my quarters later, and we can talk." He walked past her then, once again not looking back to see her expression.

Quake was easy enough to find, since where ever he went, there were small shock waves that could only have come from how fat he was. The fat janitor was in the mess hall, scarfing down on chicken wings and French fries. Alex was disgusted at how much and how fast the food was being consumed. He actually stood in the doorway, just watching Quake for a little bit. He decided he knew the mans' weakness... food, or lack of it.

Turning from the doorway he came face to face with Gangrene.

"Blur, what are you doing, moving about? Dr. X said that you were to remain in your quarters."

"Professor Gangrene, I'm sure Dr. X just meant that I should not be going on missions and the like. I believe he wouldn't mind if I just walked about the ship."

"He told me that even walking around could open up the wounds again."

"He forgets how resilient I am. I believe I won't have a problem just walking about." He moved around the professor at that time, heading to find either Colin or Mary, or both. It seemed that the whole Council knew about what happened in his fight against Brandon… and how badly he lost. Least he wasn't dead.

* * *

"Tempest? You in here?"

Goggles with the amplified magnification looked over the side of Alex's motorcycle. Green eyes blinked a few times. "Blur, yeah, over here. I was just making modifications to your motorcycle with Colin's help."

The teen looked over the motorcycle with matching blue eyes. He smirked, and then looked back to his work.

"Wow, council mechanic and engineer. What modifications are you guys doing? I hope something that can actually be used."

"Yeah, it can be used. Just adding an EMP launcher, rocket launcher, and a sub-machine gun. Because of all the additional firepower, I had to add another wheel with a hump over both back tires. Everything will fold out on arms and then fire. I just need to add the triggers to your helmet."

"Then come by later with your tools. You too, Colin, and bring your mother."

* * *

The two boys sat on the floor in his quarters, and Alex sat on the couch, watching them. He sat without the headgear or mask, since he had something planned for when Asazi and Mary came in.

"No, if you do it those ways, then the attachment won't connect properly. See... there, it connects, and . . . haha! Targeting system is active, and so are the triggers."

"Now we have to fine tune it to his brainwaves." Colin replied, smiling.

The door slide open, and Asazi and Mary walked in, talking quietly. Neither of them looked at Alex. They sat in the chairs across from him, as though this was a meeting of some kind.

"Holy Shit-Alex?" Mary said, reaching for her gas gun. Asazi raised her crossbow. Alex looked up from his game of cards on the coffee table.

"Nice to see both of you again."

Asazi blinked, taking in first Blurs black and gold uniform, then Alex's lightly scarred face. "How the hell? Unless this is X's idea of a sick joke, it's not funny at all."

"I know it's not funny. But I'm really here."

"Good, then you can die." Mary raised her gun up, changing from the gas to actual rounds.

"Mary, realize it was your fault in the first place back at Graduation. You got me drunk."

Mary stared, wide-eyed. The gun dropped, clattering to the floor. "Wha-what?! You can't prove anything."

Alex shrugged, picking up the deck of cards again. "I don't have too." He put the cards back in their box, and sat up, facing the women. "There is a reason why I called you both here."

"Then start talking." Both women said, each clearly not happy about the current situation.

* * *

Alex detailed to them something similar to his plan, and that would take out Gangrene and Quake for him. Colin agreed to talk to Dorian, and get him on their side. It seemed as though things would go smoothly, the only problem was that Alex had yet to talk to Grey. He needed to go on a mission for that to happen, and to find where the doctor was. That would take some deception on his part. Currently, with his still healing buck-shot wounds from Brandon, he couldn't do anything more than walk around the ship. X was watching him like a hawk, preventing him from putting even one toe off the ship. Did he suspect something? That was possible.

The two female assassins left, and so did Tempest and Colin, leaving the ex-athlete to his own thoughts and delusions. He had rewrapped the head wrap around his face, pulling the mask into place. He could be someone else for a little bit… A killer, fearless and deadly. What would they think of him if he showed up on their doorstep, asking for information? He couldn't go that route, they would shoot him on sight. Then what? Disguise as a member? Torture a man into giving up all the secrets that the Resistance had? Why didn't he just use his own code words and get in that way. Not to lie about who he was, but to be who he was. Lie to them that Alex Mann was still alive…

He got to his feet, pacing around the couch and chairs, thinking. What could he do? What had he done? What was left undone? He paused in front of the huge windows that graced one whole wall of his quarters. The clouds drifted by serenely, causing turmoil to build up within him. What was he going to do? There was something out there, waiting for him to do something. But what ever that was, it was invisible.


	9. Meet the Good Guys

Meet the Good Guys

A/N: Don't normaly put in notes, but I feel i need to: Akili-chan, you ROCK!!! I'm posting 9 and 10 now for you, and I'm still working on 11, so it might be a while before an update after that. Thank you very much for the reveiws; YOU make it worth writing for.

* * *

His gear was ready to go, and Blur was just waiting for clearance to leave. The black and gold motorcycle was packed onto the cargo chopper, which Tempest would fly down to the surface and drop him off before returning to the ship. Everything he needed for this mission was set. Asazi and Mary agreed that he was Blur while wearing his helmet and mask, so treated him as such. They would keep their silence. 

The engineer entered the Flight Bay, and climbed into the helicopter before Blur. "X cleared you." That was all that was needed to be said as the blades started up and the craft left the ship.

Blur tested his gear, making sure the helmet interfaces worked with the motorcycle. He didn't doubt the skill that Tempest and Colin had, but he just wanted to make sure. His mind was blissfully blank, thanks to a painkiller that had been slipped into his food earlier that day. He breathed deeply, calm, at what was about to happen. In truth, he had no idea, but he could speculate. Blank, yet active as millions of probabilities rushed forward and faded, never around for long.

The back of the helicopter dropped open, and the motorcycle and rider rolled out and onto the grassy area. Dark clouds were ominous above, threatening rain.

Rain… it always rained when he went into a city. Rain covered his tracks and masked the sounds that he made. Rain was his ally… and his enemy. Enemies hid, and attacked with the lightning strikes. He learned that on his last mission.

The hum of the motorcycle held a faint comfort, part of his past beneath him. Memories flared around the painkillers, reminding him why he was here. He had to find the resistance base here, get in, and locate Grey. X thought he was doing that to locate his old mentor to kill him and remove another name from the list. But there was more at stake than just senseless slaughtering of the innocent.

Water pelted like needles on his back and the exposed flesh of his neck. He reached back and pulled the collar up a little higher on his suit, eliciting a shiver as the ice drops ran down his back. The new face guard of his mask protected his face and neck from getting wet.

The streets were dimly lit, and the headlight of the motorcycle was having a hard time lighting anything up with all the rain. He finally pulled into an alley and cut the engine, and grabbed the bag from the back of the bike. Stuff he would need for later. He found the manhole cover, and with a metal rod nearby, pried it open, and slipped down into the darkness of the flooding sewer. He switched through visor modes, and was finally able to see in the dark. The water was running south, and a base, to keep dry, would be in the north.

The trek was slow, but eventually there were signs for the resistance, to mark where they should go and follow. If he hadn't been the one to design them, he would have assumed they were just a gang symbol from before the War. Now he followed them as all Resistance members were trained. When the water receded to ankle deep, he found a dry ledge where there was a ladder and a manhole cover above. Here he slipped into the baggy clothing of a resistance member that he had packed, and shoved the helmet into the bag. Now he once again moved on, following the glow of the symbols.

All of them suddenly surrounded a wall, which was a really a door. It was impossible to tell if one didn't know what to look for… He reached up, and rapped his knuckles on a pipe. Moments later, a speaker sounded from above him.

"Who are you?" The voice demanded, gun priming in the background.

"Alex Mann." Alex replied, still facing the door.

There was silence, and the voice came back. "Impossible. Commander Brandon Caine reported you to have gone over to the enemy's side."

"It was a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstand this, asshole." Brandon replied, and the hidden sentry guns appeared and opened fired. They targeted nothing, because nothing was there. Alex had pulled himself up out of the reach, hooking his feet and arms around pipes, placing his face next to the microphone and speaker.

"Brandon. I need to find Coach Grey. I need his help to stop X—"

"Bullshit. You want to kill him."

"That is what X wants, but I need his help first. Just tell me where he is."

"Go to hell." There was a crackle, and the sentry guns disappeared. The whole area was silent.

Alex dropped back to the water, looking at the door, and then to the speaker. He didn't want to force his way in… He reached into his bag and pulled out a card. He slipped it into a slot just within reach over his head. There was a whine of gears moving, and as the door slid open, Alex moved to the side, to avoid the gun fire that streamed out. His face was calm (once again thanks to the painkillers), if slightly bored. "Hold your fire!"

The shots cut off a moment later, and Brandon came around the corner, leveling a shotgun to his chest. Undoubtedly, it was the same one that took him off the active roster last time. There was a cold feeling in his chest, hate gripping his heart and holding tight. He felt dead... but he came back to life! He shouldn't feel like this!

"Alex…"

"You know me, Brandon. If I was working for X, I would have used the card first, and went in shooting. Yet here I am, unarmed, on your door step."

There was a faint smirk in the violet eyes of the battle-hardened commander. "Didn't you once tell me X was using me to reach his own ends? I think he is doing the same thing once again, but to you. He is telling you these things, letting you learn them, and then he is going to strike before you get a chance to save anyone. I think he is letting you feel safe that whatever quest you are on, whoever you talk to, that he doesn't know about it." Brandon shook his head, chuckling. "I wont tell you where Grey is, for the sole purpose of keeping him safe from you. But.. the least I guess I could do…"

He turned back to the fighters behind him. "Get the box!"

There was commotion, and then a silver box was passed over Brandon's shoulder. "Here. He'll get in touch with you."

Tenderly, Alex took the box, and Brandon disappeared back into the base. He looked it over, found the clasp to the tin case, and flipped it open. His watch. He nearly dropped it to the water. Flipping the lid closed once more, he stuck it in his bag and headed back the way he came, reclaiming his gear and changing back into Blur.

The walk back to the surface was shorter, maybe because his mind of occupied with what the watch could do for him. It has always been his contact with Coach Grey when he wore it as Action Man. Now it would once again link him to the scientist that gave him the AMP Factor. It had been nearly a year since they last spoke, and all that conversation had been was a warning… a warning Alex vaguely remembered. Now the ex-athlete sought shelter from the pelting rain in the remains of an abandon building. He sat in a corner, placing his helmet next to him, within reach, and his weapons on his belt. He kept his back to the walls, watching for anything to come at him.

He slipped the watch into place, over his glove and sleeve, and hit the tiny power button with a nail he found. The screen blinked to life, displaying the spinning globe that was the 'CONNECTING' symbol. He waited with baited breath, wanting to see the little envelope show up, saying he had a message, or the beeping for an incoming call. Or even the tone for low battery.

None of that happened as the globe turned into the Team Extreme Logo, and spun on the screen. He let out a sigh, and tapped through several settings, bringing up a time editor, and theme editor. He would have to connect the watch with the ships computers and upload new software.. but that would also let X see what he had been doing. It was best to keep the time-piece away from the ship.

The watch beeped; an incoming call. Someone knew it was active. With carefully maintained joy, Alex pressed the answer button, getting a black screen as the call loaded. When the other end finally responded, he was surprised to see Brandon. He had been expecting Grey.

"So… I figured you would find a place to camp out and get this thing going. Well… I guess I was right." Brandon looked away for a moment, and then looked back to him. "Listen, Grey wants you to know that the Factor is dormant, something went wrong over the last few months, and he put it on stand-by until he was certain that this had all blown over. We still don't know what side you're on, but we are willing to trust you as a freelancer. He will turn it back on if you meet him at the City Beyond the Setting Sun."


	10. Relapse Prevent Trigger Intent

Relapse Prevent Trigger Intent

* * *

For several days, Alex tried to figure out what Grey meant by 'City Beyond the Setting Sun', but he couldn't come up with a suitable answer. The Rising Sun was Tokyo, and he guessed the Setting Sun was a city on the West Coast of the United States, but there was no City Beyond. There were oil rigs out there, boats… islands. But the islands offered no protection. They were stuck out in the fury of the waves, and with X patrolling the skies… 

Alex had turned the watch off after that contact with Brandon, and returned to the ship. X didn't seem at all disappointed that he failed in taking out the Resistance, but the excuse that he couldn't find them probably helped. But after Brandon clued him into what X might possibly be up to with using him, and keeping him in the dark with what the old man knew, it was hard telling what was going on anymore. There was no way of knowing what X knew and didn't know. The ice suddenly became much thinner.

Alex had to figure that X knew everything; every move his Council would make. He knew that Alex _had_ met the Resistance, and didn't do anything about it. X knew of the watch, and its hiding spot in Blur's boot. The device may be off, but it was the fact it was there… and that X could pick up on any technology around him. How soon before the thin ice cracked?

* * *

Pacing his quarters, Alex watched the passing sky, contemplating the puzzle at hand. He needed off the ship and once again turn on the watch, to see if there was something waiting for him to read, or see, or if someone was trying to contact him. And that he still couldn't figure out City Beyond the Setting Sun. He didn't dare search for it on the ships computers, and he was certain that not only could X see what he was searching, but that it was a place that the Resistance made up, after he disappeared. But he should know it! But Brandon wouldn't have been so cryptic about it if he was supposed to know what it was and where. 

Dropping to the couch, he kicked his feet onto the coffee table, thinking back to every Event he had done in the past, where Brandon had been present, where they had a similar memories of, and where they had determined that it was 'Beyond the Setting Sun.' He kept thinking about a Game in Hawaii, where he had watched the sun rise and set into the ocean every day until they left. Many of those times he had sat in silence with his team, all of them just taking time to be together.

Maybe he was thinking about it all wrong. Maybe the 'City beyond the Setting Sun' was really a place that the sun didn't reach most of the year… The Night Games in Alaska several years ago came to mind, where they were in perpetual night for the whole week they were there. Where had they been? It had been near the Canada border, very close to the north pole. A mini-report Fidget did said they stood on nearly 20 feet of ice, with water below, so they technically weren't even on land. What was the area, though? There had been a city near-by… but that could have been several miles, and they would have still called it close because they got there by way of helicopters and Big Air… thinking of the plane reminded him of everything he had been through with them, from the beginning. The first contact from Simon Grey, to now… and all the lives lost in between.

Shaking his head, Alex got to his feet, pacing back and forth around his quarters.

Would Simon hide in an abandon Games stadium? Would he burrow into the ice? Too dangerous… he would probably be at the town… City, it was the City beyond the setting sun.

A memory returned with much gusto, sending him reeling.

* * *

"Welcome to Prudhoe Bay." The sign read, as they landed just outside the small city. It wasn't large by any standards, but sizable enough to house all the athletes comfortably during their stay in the dark north. Bright lights were lit everywhere, making the streets and most buildings as bright as if sun-lit. It felt welcoming, and the people were overly friendly. 

"Alex… this place gives me the creeps!" Fidget complained, sticking close to his side while Grinder and Rikki followed. "And not to mention it's freaking cold here!"

"Then you should have put on a jacket." Rikki scolded.

The short red-head looked back at him from under her hat, scarf, and Alex's spare winter jacket, which was warmer than her own and much bigger, and she also wore her own jacket underneath. "I'm wearing two, hello!"

Grinder chuckled, shaking his head.

Alex pushed open the door to the hotel where they were all staying. They kicked the snow from their boots and walked in to the warm lobby, where a huge fire was burning in the hearth. Several other athletes and their crew were milling about, talking and relaxing. The game wasn't until tomorrow, around 4pm, since there was no sun to judge day or night here. Alex had changed his watch to adjust for the time difference.

"Hey, Alex!"

He looked up to Jimmy Woo and Brandon Caine waving him over. He waved back and joined them. "What's up?"

"Plotting to kick your butt in tomorrow's race is what's up." Jimmy commented, grinning and handing him a mug. "Cider; bottomless cups on the house." He waited for Alex to take a drink before continuing. "They call this place the City Beyond the Setting Sun, since the sun hardly ever reaches here, except for a month during the summer---"

* * *

Alex blinked as the memory was cut short from the chime of the door. He grabbed the head-wrap and quickly covered his face before answering. Least now he knew where to go. 

Asazi was just outside his door, and pushed him back in let the door slide closed behind them. She locked it before looking at him. "Take that ridiculous thing off, Alex, no need to hide."

He didn't move. "What's going on?"

"Dorian is going crazy. Said something about the reactors malfunctioning, and he is going crazy trying to fix them. Tried shooting at X to keep him away from helping. Tempest is in the med-bay, after being shot by the machines energy gun… something is wrong. Dorian is normally a very docile cyborg…"

"How is Colin?" Alex felt concern, but he was looking at the opportunity to get off the ship more than anything.

"all right, he was doing turbine maintenance at the time." Asazi replied, crossing her arms nervously.

Alex grabbed his helmet from the coffee table, and pulled the head-wrap off and put the helmet on it its place. The visor lit up with a status screen on the suit once all the connectors were hooked up, and it showed a waiting message from X. It simply stated that he needed to get to the reactors, now. He pushed past Asazi, leaving his tool belt behind and racing down the hall for the lift. It carried him to the next level, where the hall was smoking. Something was clearly going wrong. Dashing through the smoke, he heard X yelling, and the door to Engineering was open for the emergency. He rushed in, seeing X.

"What the—X!"

The black-clad leader looked to the athlete. "Stop him, I don't care how!"

Blur looked to the reactors, seeing Dorian in what must be his real form: arms and legs were split in half, moving independently, while crawling spider-like over the whole thing. There was an energy cannon forming from his back, holding a charge. He raced forward, using some of the supports for the reactors to boost himself up. The canon followed him, letting loose a few blasts that he barely avoided.

Moving in close, he easily got the cyborgs attention, and leapt away just as the being fired again. He jumped in close again, hoping to pull Dorian away from the reactor and to where they couldn't do any damage. The robot pushed off just as he grabbed on, moving with such speed that Blur had hardly any time to react to miss being pounded into the metal wall above the door. He landed on the ground as Dorian hit the wall on all eight limps. The serene face turned, and then jumped at him again. Blur jumped back, ducking and rolling across the floor to once more avoid the limbs. He remained crouched, watching the machine as it pulled spikes from the floor; spikes that would have gutted him open.

With ungodly speed, Dorian charged, catching and pressing Blur to the side of the reactor, the spikes dangerously close to his face. He was lifted off the ground several inches, which let him get his legs up and wedge them between the cyborg and himself. With one strong push, he shoved the mech back, landing on the ground and once more dodging to the side. The energy cannon followed him and fired.

"Now Blur!" X shouted, priming his own energy weapon.

Blur changed direction, and dashed at Dorian, grabbing one of his arms and flipping over. The arm effectively came off, which he shoved into the back-mounted cannon. That slowed the machine down, but it also returned its attention to Blur, and charged once more.

Without a chance to touch the ground to get away, Dorian's arm slammed into him, throwing him hard against the wall, the helmet snapping off as the athlete slid to the ground, unmoving.

Green light, followed by a high-pitched whine came from X, his own weapon firing and ripping a hole straight through Dorian's power core. The husk of machine went limp, falling to the ground. That was the last thing Alex heard.

* * *

A/N: After this chapter goes up, there might be a long delay before the next one appears, as my muse is playing tricks with this one and my ability to write it all at once... But it will get up, because I want to know what happens at the end just as much as the rest of you. 


	11. X Amount of Words

X Amount of Words

* * *

"You're not dead, yet, Alex…"

* * *

Opening his eyes, he faced the floor, blood dripping from his mouth and nose. He didn't bother stemming the flow, looking to X, who knelt next to him, holding his helmet.

Without pause, Alex grabbed the head-piece and slipped it back into place. He got back to his feet, X rising up as well. The scientist only watched him for a moment, before turning and walking to the reactor.

Blur took a deep breath, his helmet showing him some details about his injuries, mainly the fractured rib, and a ruptured blood vessel in his arm. He chose to ignore them as he left, coming face to face with Mary and Asazi.

Both women said nothing, and let him pass.

What had come over him? He just… attacked without a second thought, and kept going until he was knocked out. He didn't think, didn't analyze, just… reacted. Was he a mindless machine? What was happening to him? He barely made it back to his quarters before heaving into the toilet, helmet tossed aside. His rib burned where it was fractured, but he didn't care. He had helped destroy something, totally eradicating it from existence. Dorian wasn't someone he liked all that well… but Colin looked up to him, had been learning from him.

Alex washed his face, and then sat on the floor, back against the wall, staring blankly to the mirror over the sink. He pulled off his gloves, seeing that his arm was turning black and blue from the blood, growing in size. With a sigh, he pulled out his knife, and stabbed the growing spot, the blood pouring out. The pain slowly went away, and as he held the arm over the toilet, the blood dripping off, he felt something else go as well. Was he slipping back into a killer? Was he throwing away his humanity again? He watched the blood go, eyes dropping closed. What would they think of him if they could see him now?

He didn't know how much time had passed. When he looked up, Asazi was kneeling in front of him, wrapping his arm. The pain of the vessel was gone, and a bug sitting on the toilet seat was slightly bloody from the work it did. He cast tired eyes to the woman, letting her work. "Thanks…" he muttered, trying to smile.

"You're not out of the woods yet, lover-boy." She replied, looking at him with narrowed eyes. She had pulled her gloves off as well, her fingers tinted red. "You need to get to the medbay to make sure nothing else is broken."

"I'm fine… I just need to sleep." Alex said, using his other arm to sit up. She saw his wince, and nodded.

"Right… and you don't wince for any reason. Come on, get up." She braced herself, and hauled him to his feet, letting him balance. She slipped her hand into his, squeezing tight. "Alex?"

He closed his eyes, his head spinning. "Just… gimme a moment." He muttered, taking deep breaths. Pain rocketed from his chest and stomach, and all along his back. "I… wont make it to the medbay…" he whispered.

Asazi sighed, realizing that Alex was having a conscience issue right now, and so just led him to the bed. Once he was down, she looked him over, and then removed his boots and shirt. Bruises were appearing all over him, small blooms along his tan skin, circling his scars. She kicked off her own boots, and crawled onto the bed, sitting his head in her lap, running her fingers through his hair. A man who had saved her life countless times, and she never repaid him. Was his life in danger now?

Alex opened his eyes, weak and bleary. "You… don't have to stay."

"I do. You vomited blood, cut your own arm to drain it… Alex, you're becoming a wreck." She ran a thumb along his cheek, watching his eyes. They slowly closed again, his breathing evening out. "I would say you are being stupid, but this isn't the time or place, or even life, for that attitude anymore. You run into fights, get heavily injured, and come crawling out, saying you don't need any help. Stop being so bull-headed and take what is offered. Myself, Tempest, and Colin, all want to help you. We give what we can, but… I guess we don't see what is being given in return. Are you fighting for us, or for yourself?"

Alex sighed, wincing at the pain in his chest. It took a few moments before he could reply. "I'm fighting to take out X, and build a better life—a better world, for everyone. I'm just…"

"You're blinded by his words. That is all you need to say. He has you wrapped around his fingers, like some sort of puppet. You need to stop listening to him. His words always sound confident, but underneath… just a bunch of hot air. He was worried because you were always in his way, keeping him from his goal, though he always thought he could just step around you. You were a thorn in his side… and now you're taken over, his thorn to use against everyone else. Your plan… it wont work, Alex. You aren't strong enough to face him. Maybe for Quake and Gangrene, but not against X… none of us can take him out. Not even as a group. He is too well protected no matter where he goes." Asazi lectured, still running her fingers through his hair. He seemed to have drifted off, and she was about to get up when he gently latched onto her wrist, pulling her hand to his chest.

"I know all that… but… I'm trying to find a way around it all. I just…" Alex whispered, feeling her hand on his chest, knowing she felt his heartbeat.

"Shh… rest, all right? I'm not going to go anywhere." She ran her other hand through his hair, leaning back against the headboard. "You just need to worry about getting better."

Alex nodded, sparks of pain lashing from his chest. This wasn't going to really heal all on its own, but he really didn't want to go to the medbay, either. Laying here with her was just enough for him, as he knew there was someone who wouldn't leave… though when he started believing that of her was hard to say. Maybe they were just meant to be? He rubbed the top of her hand with his thumb, wanting to keep her there. She was safe, his protection after all the times he needed it. He never thought he would need a shield, but right now, he greatly appreciated her company. He felt his eyes get heavy, his body helping him ignore the pain, and he drifted off, not sure where he would end up.

* * *

A light was shining in his eyes when he came around, but it was still the ceiling of his room. He felt bugs crawling all over him, his chest locked in plaster with barely enough space to breathe. When they realized he was awake, they paused, and then kept working.

"Welcome back, lover-boy." Asazi whispered, somewhere above him. He felt her hands, warm against his face. He tried speaking, but his tongue felt sand-paper dry, and stuck to the roof of his mouth. He felt water trickle in, slowly loosening his jaw. He looked to Asazi, who was holding a water bottle. "Feel better?"

He nodded, finding his voice. "A lot better… what'd they use, morphine?"

"Something like that. You have been out for several hours.. X stopped by, and when he left, they all trooped in here. Just lie still, they are finishing up." Asazi rubbed his temples, relaxing him back into a nap. He knew she was still there the whole time, always within reach. It was a comforting presence at the back of his mind; always there, protecting in a way he couldn't ever have imagined. He had thought of nights with her, before all this, and if they would have gotten along… He knew she was a trained seductress, but there was still a woman underneath that alluring exterior. A chance to see the real her was another matter.

"Alex?"

His eyes opened weakly to her voice, before sliding closed again. Something felt off, wrong. He let his mind wander to the past two months, and everything he had accomplished. The list was rather short. He needed to get to Grey, get Colin off the ship, and take out X… though there were still certain steps that needed to be taken.

"Do you…. Do you think that X knows everything we do?" His voice sounded weak.

"No, he can't possibly know everything. He isn't a god, Alex… he is just…" Asazi trailed her fingers though his hair, hearing and feeling him relax. "I know you have a lot to hide from him, we all do. There are secrets he can't ever know." She watched him for a few moments, leaning over to kiss him lightly. "Don't sleep on me now, loverboy, you might not wake up."

Alex opened a bleary eye, watching her. "If I do?"

"Just don't. Stay awake a bit longer."

"Then you are implying that I can sleep." Alex grabbed one of her hands, holding onto it.

"Of course not."

Recovery from that was long, taking more time than anyone was expecting. Blur seldom left his quarters, and only Asazi ever visited. Tempest and Colin where trying to cover for Dorian with X's help. That attack, mainly the destruction of the cyborg, caused extensive damage to the reactor, and all three were hard-pressed to fix what happened. No fingers were pointed, as X had announced that it was a malfunction of Dorian's personality, and nothing that was crew tampering.

Blur stepped into the Hanger bay, where all the helicopters had been carefully set to allow as much open space as possible. The ship was holding position over the ocean while X did some engine repair that couldn't be trusted to the Trilobugs. He looked to Asazi, Mary, Colin and Tempest, all standing around talking. Silently coming up behind them, he made Asazi jump, barely missed being slapped by her crossbow. There was no smile in his features.

"I told X where Grey is, and just about everything is in place. Colin, you'll go down with me; Asazi, Mary, Tempest, stay here. Don't stop Gangrene or Quake from going down. This is it."

* * *

Authors Note: Ok, this is as far as I have with the story. I have started work, so I don't know when I'll be able to work on chapter 12. I hope you enjoy, and I really appreciate the constructive feed back, Akili-chan!! I hope this tied up a few loose ends. 


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